In a video released by Nintendo, it's revealed how the new inventory system will change how you approach the game. In past Zelda titles, you would follow a semi-linear path through the story, fighting your way from dungeon to dungeon. As you progress, you would find new items in each area that would allow you to solve puzzles and move on to the next area. Also, this opened up new parts of the map by allowing you to revisit locations that were previously unavailable due to not having the correct equipment.

With its new “shop” system, Nintendo is allowing you to see every single item and gadget available in the game right at the beginning, and you can choose which ones you would like to acquire and in which order. With the players controlling exactly what abilities and equipment they can make available to our main man Link right at the start, the experience of how the game unfolds will be unique. It removes many of the constraints of following a linear path and allows players to make their own. Also, while on the adventure, you can earn additional loot to go back and obtain more items, if players run into a particular puzzle they are not equipped to handle.

Needless to say, the concept of an “open world” Link is certainly a novel one. Did someone at Nintendo get influenced by one-to-many late-night GTA sessions?